Highest-rated restaurants in Bellingham by diners
Humans are creatures of habit. We tend to stick to our morning routines, rewatch movies we've seen time and time again, and hit up the same tried-and-true restaurants when going out for a meal. In fact, 35% of Americans said they rarely, if ever, try a new restaurant they haven't been to before, and 5% say they never do, according to a survey of more than 2,600 diners from TouchBistro.
But those numbers look quite different when you focus on younger generations—56% of Gen Zers and 47% of millennials in the U.S. say they visit new restaurants once a month or more. When it comes to deciding which new restaurant to try, younger generations are also more likely to rely on online reviews, through sites like Yelp or Google or from social media. The TouchBistro survey found that 71% of Gen Zers and 72% of millennials have opted to try a new restaurant solely because of favorable reviews online.
Some of the best restaurants in your neck of the woods might be those established spots that customers have been visiting for decades, but some may be brand new. More than 10,000 new restaurants opened in 2023, up 5.7% from 2022, according to a report from BentoBox. The states that saw the most new restaurants open up in 2023 were Florida, Texas, California, North Carolina, and Pennsylvania, but new locales are popping up all over the U.S.
To help you determine which spots—both new and long-standing—to try out, Stacker compiled a list of the highest-rated restaurants in Bellingham, according to Yelp reviews from diners as of January 2024. Only restaurants with at least 20 reviews were considered. Read on to find some inspiration for the next time you dine out.
Note: The photos in this article are stock images and do not necessarily reflect each restaurant listed.
#30. La Gloria Taqueria
- Rating: 4.5/5 (24 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 4739 Guide Meridian Bellingham, Washington
- Categories: Mexican, Food Trucks
- Read more on Yelp
#29. Chuckanut Bay Distillery
- Rating: 4.5/5 (61 reviews)
- Address: 1309 Cornwall Ave. Bellingham, Washington
- Categories: Cocktail Bars, New American
- Read more on Yelp
#28. Shirlee Bird Cafe
- Rating: 4.5/5 (102 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1200 Harris Ave. Ste 100 Bellingham, Washington
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, Breakfast & Brunch, Sandwiches
- Read more on Yelp
#27. Carnal
- Rating: 4.5/5 (229 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1234 North State St. Bellingham, Washington
- Categories: New American, Cocktail Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#26. Cheba Hut Toasted Subs
- Rating: 4.5/5 (41 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 306 West Holly St. Bellingham, Washington
- Categories: Bars, Sandwiches
- Read more on Yelp
#25. The Sandwich Odyssey
- Rating: 4.5/5 (173 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 2001 Cornwall Ave. Bellingham, Washington
- Categories: Sandwiches, Salad, Delis
- Read more on Yelp
#24. El Suenito Brewing Company
- Rating: 4.5/5 (52 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1926 Humboldt St. Bellingham, Washington
- Categories: Breweries, Mexican
- Read more on Yelp
#23. Thai Maison
- Rating: 4.5/5 (130 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 2430 James St. Bellingham, Washington
- Categories: Thai, Salad, Noodles
- Read more on Yelp
#22. Gandolfos NY Style Deli
- Rating: 4.5/5 (340 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 107 East Stuart Road Bellingham, Washington
- Categories: Delis, Sandwiches
- Read more on Yelp
#21. COA Mexican Eatery & Tequileria
- Rating: 4.5/5 (36 reviews)
- Address: 1065 East Sunset Drive Bellingham, Washington
- Categories: Mexican
- Read more on Yelp
#20. Sweet As Waffles
- Rating: 4.5/5 (39 reviews)
- Address: 122 East Magnolia St. Bellingham, Washington
- Categories: Food Trucks, Waffles
- Read more on Yelp
#19. El Morazan
- Rating: 4.5/5 (43 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 410 West Bakerview Road Ste 108 Bellingham, Washington
- Categories: Salvadoran
- Read more on Yelp
#18. Ambo Ethiopian Cuisine
- Rating: 4.5/5 (61 reviews)
- Address: 902 North State St. Ste 104 Bellingham, Washington
- Categories: Ethiopian
- Read more on Yelp
#17. New Mexico Tamale
- Rating: 4.5/5 (233 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 4151 Meridian St. Ste 106 Bellingham, Washington
- Categories: New Mexican Cuisine
- Read more on Yelp
#16. Dumpling Girls
- Rating: 4.5/5 (62 reviews)
- Address: 2620 Northwest Ave. Bellingham, Washington
- Categories: Food Trucks, Asian Fusion, Chinese
- Read more on Yelp
#15. Jt's Smokin BBQ
- Rating: 4.5/5 (39 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 2228 James St. Bellingham, Washington
- Categories: Food Trucks, Barbeque, Caterers
- Read more on Yelp
#14. Bar Cicotti
- Rating: 4.5/5 (30 reviews)
- Address: 202 Grand Ave. Bellingham, Washington
- Categories: Cafes, Coffee & Tea, Wine Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#13. Banter - Downtown
- Rating: 4.5/5 (33 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 114 Prospect St. Bellingham, Washington
- Categories: Breakfast & Brunch, Cocktail Bars, Coffee & Tea
- Read more on Yelp
#12. Netos Market & Bakery
- Rating: 4.5/5 (94 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 2612 West Maplewood Ave. Bellingham, Washington
- Categories: Bakeries, Grocery, Mexican
- Read more on Yelp
#11. Banh Mi & Bubble Tea
- Rating: 4.5/5 (22 reviews)
- Address: 2604 Meridian St. Bellingham, Washington
- Categories: Vietnamese, Bubble Tea
- Read more on Yelp
#10. Locus
- Rating: 4.5/5 (88 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 120 West Holly St. Bellingham, Washington
- Categories: Cafes, Coffee & Tea, Wine Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#9. Red Ginger Asian Cuisine
- Rating: 5.0/5 (24 reviews)
- Address: 1208 East Maple St. Bellingham, Washington
- Categories: Asian Fusion
- Read more on Yelp
#8. Hollys Meat Pies
- Rating: 5.0/5 (60 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 4073 Hannegan Road Ste J Bellingham, Washington
- Categories: New American, Desserts, Italian
- Read more on Yelp
#7. COF&
- Rating: 5.0/5 (51 reviews)
- Address: 1209 Cornwall Ave. Bellingham, Washington
- Categories: Cafes
- Read more on Yelp
#6. NEKO: A Cat Café
- Rating: 5.0/5 (38 reviews)
- Address: 1130 Cornwall Ave. Bellingham, Washington
- Categories: Cafes, Animal Shelters
- Read more on Yelp
#5. Ashuri Baklava & Cafe
- Rating: 5.0/5 (55 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 103 Grand Ave. Bellingham, Washington
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, Turkish, Desserts
- Read more on Yelp
#4. Tacos Tecalitlan
- Rating: 5.0/5 (20 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 5309 Guide Meridian Bellingham, Washington
- Categories: Food Trucks, Mexican
- Read more on Yelp
#3. Otherlands Beer
- Rating: 5.0/5 (82 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 2121 Humboldt St. Bellingham, Washington
- Categories: Breweries, Modern European
- Read more on Yelp
#2. Greektown Food Truck
- Rating: 5.0/5 (37 reviews)
- Address: 1301 Fraser Ste 106 Bellingham, Washington
- Categories: Food Trucks, Greek
- Read more on Yelp
#1. El Maná
- Rating: 5.0/5 (31 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1538 Birchwood Ave. Ste B Bellingham, Washington
- Categories: Latin American, Bakeries, Caribbean
- Read more on Yelp
This story features data reporting by Karim Noorani, writing by Jaimie Etkin, and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 331 metros.